Democrats release their CR bill

The ranking members on the House and Senate appropriations committees late Wednesday introduced a continuing resolution that they said would keep the government funded through Oct. 31 and “allow negotiations to continue over full-year bills that ensure Congress — not President Trump or [Office of Management and Budget Director] Russ Vought — decides how taxpayer dollars are spent.”

In a joint statement, Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., ranking member on the House Appropriations Committee, and Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., ranking member on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said, “While Republicans push America to the brink of a shutdown, Democrats are ready to negotiate a bipartisan continuing resolution and government funding bills that lower the cost of living, help working people — not just billionaires — and protect people’s health care.

“Today, we are introducing a short-term continuing resolution to keep the government funded, address the health care crisis Republicans have single-handedly created, and protect Congress’ power of the purse. If Republicans are willing to simply sit down and talk with Democrats, a concept most Americans understand, we can address these pressing issues affecting American families and responsibly fund the government.

“We invite Republican leadership to finally join Democratic leadership at the negotiating table, which they have refused for weeks to do, to prevent a shutdown and begin bipartisan negotiations to keep the government funded.”

House Republicans hope to bring up their CR by Friday, but Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., the Senate minority leader, will convene his full caucus today for a meeting about the shutdown fight, Axios reported.

A fact sheet of the Democratic funding bill can be found at https://tinyurl.com/43nzt4uk.